By Adrian Zorzut, Local Democracy Service
The MP for Kensington and Bayswater has said any decision to demolish Grenfell Tower “must come alongside reassurances of criminal proceedings” amid reports ministers will decide the future of the building next month.
Joe Powell, who was voted into the seat in July’s General Election, said it was ‘vital’ the voices of the bereaved and survivors are central to the decision about the future of the tower.
He said: “I welcome the Deputy Prime Minister’s and building safety minister’s personal and intensive engagement with our community. A decision on the future of the tower must come alongside reassurances that criminal proceedings are brought forward as soon as possible so justice can truly be served.”
The pending decision follows years of debate over what should happen to the tower, with some advocating for it to remain in place as a lasting memorial and reminder of the failings that caused the tragedy. Others, meanwhile, argue its presence is distressing to those who lost loved ones.
It comes as an update from the Grenfell Tower site management team at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) recently released a report saying no immediate changes to the site were expected before the eighth anniversary of the tragedy in June.
Fire damage to the upper levels of the tower has led to fears the building is becoming a dangerous structure. Though safety measures have been put in place, a peer review of government reports by engineering company Jacobs warned that the structure could ‘weakened further’ under harsh weather.
Engineering experts to the MHCLG have also said the building should be ‘carefully taken down’ over long-term safety concerns. The concern is that this could pose a threat of people in buildings around the tower, including a school.
Grenfell Next of Kin, an advocacy group for the immediate families of nearly half of the people who were killed in the fire, said the building was ‘deteriorating fast’.
Kimia Zabihyan, who leads the group, said at the forefront of decision must be the immediate families of those who died. She said: “We need more than slogans and pats on the head. We need the actual tools, solidarity and the work towards justice and a memorial for our loved ones that we feel is truly for our kin.
“Hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money have been wasted by exploiting our loss, grief, and anger. They give us pats on the head and warm words, promises of a memorial, and at the same time systemically undermine and take away our agency. What are we supposed to be thrilled about here?”
The Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said no charges would be announced until late 2026 at the earliest because of the increasing ‘scale and complexity’ of the inquiry.
In September 2024, a final report into the fire was published with 58 recommendations to prevent a similar disaster happening again.
Pictured top: MP for Kensington and Bayswater, Joe Powell, said criminal proceedings must be brought forward ‘as soon as possible’. (Picture: Keith Stirling/Joe Powell)